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The Cowboys allowed 470 yards in Week 1 and will face the Redskins on the road Sunday.

Analysis: The Cowboys allowed only 17 points to the Giants and forced a pair of turnovers, but the yardage total remains somewhat surprising. The Redskins started strong in the season opener with 20 points and 278 yards in the first half, but things fell apart in the second half, partially due to a complete inability to run the ball (13 carries for 28 yards). The rushing attack also loses its top weapon as RB Derrius Guice (knee) is unlikely to play. Washington's general lack of offensive playmakers…read more

Published: Wed, Sep 11 at 2:23pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

CB Byron Jones (hip) resumed practicing last week after spending training camp on the PUP list and could play in Sunday's season opener against the Giants.

Analysis: The Cowboys finished with a top-five rush defense (94.6 YPG and 3.8 YPC) in 2018, and they'll start the season with an immediate test against RB Saquon Barkley. The young RB will be the major focal point as the only true playmaker for veteran QB Eli Manning after the team sent WR Odell Beckham to Cleveland. Dallas was a mid-table in sacks (39) and takeaways (20), but they finished sixth in scoring defense (20.2 PPG) and have more than enough talent to be a quality fantasy option this season,…read more

Published: Tue, Sep 3 at 3:30pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys ranked fifth in the league in rushing yards per game allowed (94.6) and fourth overall in yards per carry allowed (3.8) in the 2018 campaign.

Analysis: Dallas slightly improved on those marks as compared to the 2017 season, where its defense allowed 104.0 rushing yards per game and 4.1 yards per carry. A large factor of that small improvement - and the biggest story of the 2018 Cowboys defense - was rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, whom Dallas drafted in the first round out of Boise State. Vander Esch started in 11 of Dallas' regular-season games and racked up 140 total tackles, which was third in the league behind Green Bay's Blake…read more

Published: Thu, Aug 15 at 5:47pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have allowed the fifth-fewest passing touchdowns (20) this season. They play the Giants in Week 17.

Analysis: The Cowboys have their No. 4 playoff seed locked up and could give defensive starters a rest at some point during Sunday's game. They last played the Giants in Week 2 and held them to just 13 points. Odell Beckham (quadriceps) may sit out this game for New York, leaving few quality options at wideout beyond Sterling Shepard. That could leave a lot of pressure on RB Saquon Barkley and QB Eli Manning, but the team has still exhibited decent form on offense with 27 points in three of the last four…read more

Published: Wed, Dec 26 at 5:13pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have held their last three opponents under 222 passing yards. They play the Buccaneers in Week 16.

Analysis: The early magic of the Buccaneers offense has worn off and they've returned to reality, accruing under 180 passing yards and 14 points in two consecutive weeks. The Cowboys defense is trending in the other direction, holding six straight opponents to 23 points or less and forcing eight turnovers in the process. The Buccaneers have been smart with the ball lately, coughing up just three turnovers in the past four weeks, but the Cowboys strong pass rush could make QB Jameis Winston uncomfortable…read more

Published: Tue, Dec 18 at 4:39pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have held their last five opponents to 23 or less points. They play the Colts in Week 15.

Analysis: The Cowboys have shut down all rushing attacks lately, holding their last five opponents below 80 rushing yards. This won't affect the Colts much, as they rank second in the league with both 41.1 passing attempts per game and 34 passing touchdowns. A strong passing attack won't smother the Cowboys but they'll need to be on top of their game against a unique playbook that features WR T.Y. Hilton, who is on a tear, as a deep threat and TE Eric Ebron as a heavily used red-zone option. This could…read more

Published: Tue, Dec 11 at 7:43pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have held their last four opponents below 80 rushing yards. They play the Eagles in Week 14.

Analysis: The Cowboys are riding the joy of holding the Saints to just 10 points in Week 13's Thursday Night Football. They held Drew Brees to just 127 passing yards -- his lowest total of the season -- and were the only team to keep the Saints below 24 points this year. This production likely isn't repeatable, but they now have 10 sacks and six forced turnovers in the last four games and are putting up a brick wall against the run. The Eagles have dysfunction in their backfield but can break off the…read more

Published: Tue, Dec 4 at 8:03pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have notched eight sacks in the last three games. They play the Saints in Week 13.

Analysis: The Cowboys have a strong front seven that can get to the quarterback, but that may not matter against a brick-wall offensive line that's allowed QB Drew Brees to be dropped just 10 times in 11 games. This wasn't a forgiving matchup to begin with, as the Saints have failed to eclipse 30 points just twice this year and have reached 45 three times in the last four games. The Saints have capitalized on supreme talent and added a versatile playbook that has left defenses flat-footed while…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 27 at 6:43pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys rank 28th in the league with four interceptions. They play the Redskins in Week 12.

Analysis: As a result of Alex Smith's gruesome season-ending leg injury, QB Colt McCoy will be under center for Washington. Prior to Washington's Week 11 game, McCoy hadn't thrown a regular-season pass since 2015, so there's no telling what's in store for the Redskins offense. Even with Smith directing the offense, Washington had failed to surpass 23 points in its last seven games. RB Adrian Peterson has been a hit-or-miss performer this season and has averaged just 3.1 YPC over the last three games,…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 20 at 6:08pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have allowed two 300-yard passers this season. They play the Falcons in Week 11.

Analysis: The Falcons afford opponents little margin for error despite producing a 14-point dud against the Browns last week. Even with that lowly showing, Atlanta still owns the eighth-best scoring offense with 27.1 points per game. The Cowboys haven't faced a wideout group as deep as Atlanta's triumvirate of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu since Week 5 against the Texans, when Deshaun Watson tore them up for 374 passing yards. The fantasy upside isn't there against a club that has turned…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 13 at 8:17pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com

The Cowboys have forced two turnovers in three of their last four games. They play the Eagles in Week 10.

Analysis: The Cowboys have 23 sacks through eight games, which surely contributes to the recent turnovers. The team was carved up Monday by QB Marcus Mariota and the Titans, a team that was brutal offensively leading into the matchup. The Eagles will have a new toy (WR Golden Tate) to complement their already-dangerous pass catchers with a possession receiver. There could be some relief because the Eagles have the 10th-most turnovers in the league (12), making the Dallas defense a loose bubble team in…read more

Published: Tue, Nov 6 at 9:42pm by Rotowire.comMore news and analysis available atNFL.com